Guns, Liars And No Idea Who He Is
by MrsBennettFrazier
Summary: Undercover Bodyguard!AU; Percy and Co. are part of B.A.D.A.S.S., a business specializing in secretive protective services, and are assigned to protect a group of girls whose powerful parents made some dangerous enemies... Rating M just to be safe
1. Chapter 1

**Okay, so this is going to be hella AU and all characters used are going to be OOC as fuck, minus the OCs and a few canon characters.**

 **Also, if you ship Percabeth, Caleo, Jeyna, Solangelo, or any other canon ship, you might as well click the back button and forget you ever saw this story bc it's gonna shit all over those ships.**

 **What I mean is they're not gonna be canon in this fic, and most of these ships are gonna seem like crack ships (but they're not); keep in mind that this is very AU and nothing from the actual series (PJO or otherwise) will carry into this fic.**

 **That being said, enjoy :)**

* * *

Chiron, Head of B.A.D.A.S.S. (Bodyguards, Attack, Defense And other Special Services) Corp., sighed as he stared down at the files.

Each profile made his mental gears turn as he selected the best people suited for this rather special mission.

All the girls in the file had their own specifications when it came to personality and Chiron considered himself a good judgment of character, so he ended up selecting seven of his finest operatives.

Of course, this was considering that Chiron assumed that all the information and profiling was accurate and up to date. Ignoring his inner doubts, he picked up the first file.

"Zoe Nightshade... age: 18; Personality: caring, responsible ( _she needs more fun_ was written after that in elegant script), sometimes sarcastic and fiercely protective over those she cares about. She needs... hm." He paused, thinking it over.

"She needs someone just fierce when it comes to protection, then. Someone just as caring. _Ah_... I know who to entrust her safety to." He scribbled his best pupil's name in the appropriate box. "Assigned bodyguard: Perseus Jackson."

"Annabeth Chase," he murmured as he glanced at her file. "Age: 17; Personality: Smart, very patient, overly cautious and friendly... So, she needs someone friendly but more of a risk taker. Very well; assigned bodyguard: Ethan Nakamura." He scribbled the hyper computer master into the "Bodyguard" box before continuing onto the next file.

"Reyna Avila Ramirez-Arellano. Age: 16; Personality: fun loving, likes to tease, daring and likes hugs." Chiron stopped to scratch his chin, slipping into deep thought.

"She needs someone to have fun with, someone just as hyper. Travis would be the perfect candidate." He wrote the first half of the Stoll Twins' name in the box below Reyna's name.

"Calypso Montaigne." As he read her file, he already knew who to assign her to.

"Age: 17; Personality: quiet, shy, polite, hates the spotlight. Her bodyguard should be just as polite and quiet but not closed off. Should also know how to let loose occasionally... Assigned bodyguard: Nico DeAngelo."

"Hylla Avila Ramirez-Arellano, age: 18; Personality: very serious and studious. Calm and no nonsense." Humming a lively tune, Chiron contemplated who to assign her to. "Michael Yew would be the most sensible match."

"Bianca Di Angelo. Age: 17; Personality: shy, sweet, caring, like animals and dancing. Her bodyguard should have similar hobbies. Assigned bodyguard: Leo Valdez." He smiled as he thought of the lively joker.

 _Him and the twins in the same room always ends in good memories... and broken furniture._ His smile turned into in an exasperated sigh when he thought of the last New Year's party the trio held at the base.

"Drew Takahashi. Age: 16; Personality: funny, sarcastic, sassy, and likes to prank her friends. Huh, that sounds much like Travis's brother. I shall entrust her to Connor Stoll." He muttered to himself, as he closed the file and began to call his client.

"Ah yes, Ms. Hera. I'd like to inform you that I have made the necessary arrangements for your request."

He paused, listening to her delighted response. "Do not worry for housing, finances or other commodities for our forces. We can handle such matters."

He smiled and let her speak once more. "Yes. They will be arriving before school starts, they are on holiday as of late."

Brief pause again. "Thank you kindly, Miss Hera. Have a wonderful day."

He hung up the phone and stored the file in his desk drawer before heading out of his office and turning the lights off.

* * *

o0o

* * *

A phone rang obnoxiously throughout the house.

Nothing could be heard except the sound before the source of the infernal disturbance was thrown to the wall in anger.

Perseus Jackson (or, as most people call him, Percy) groaned in complaint when the phone didn't stop ringing.

He sighed before getting up and answering the phone.

"I don't care who you are and what you want; I want you to know that I'm hanging up and tracing this phone call after I get some more sleep. I will find you and tear your tongue out and hang you with your own intestines. Good day."

He was about to hang up when he heard his mentor's voice.

"Perseus, you know I wouldn't call this early if I didn't have something important to talk to you about."

He sounded very amused and wholly unaffected by Percy's threats.

"If it's important enough to call at this godsforsaken hour, then lay it on me." Chiron rolled his eyes. The boy acted as if it were 5:30 in the morning; it was already 10:37!

"Your holiday may be ending a bit sooner than anticipated. You have a new mission, starting at the beginning of the new school year." Percy groaned again.

"School? I'm 19, I already survived that hellspawn... What reason is school involved for?" He was confused and not so enthusiastic about another round with public education.

Chiron chuckled, able to see in his mind's eye his most valuable pupil's expression without effort.

"Because you are going to be leading a team in protecting a group of girls with powerful families and targets drawn on their backs." Chiron tried to maintain a light tone as he informed the slightly surprised boy. "Besides, it's private school. Shouldn't be too hard for you and your team, hm?"

"Protecting a bunch of teenage and hormonal girls? Sir, do you really think we are best suited for the job?"

"Yes. You are old enough to be in their grades; well, you're a year older than most of the girls. But I know Leo can fix that. You are to be moved in as soon as possible."

Percy nodded. "Okay, sir. I'll inform the others. We'll be ready to move at your clearance."

"The house is already furnished and ready to be occupied. Call up Michael, Ethan, Nico, Leo, Travis, and Connor."

"Already on it. We'll check back in once we're assembled."

"Don't forget to report back every few days and investigate anything suspicious. And if the girls question it, you have a backstory and if you're caught off guard, do not lose your cool. Prolong them finding out if possible. If they're unaware they're less likely to be in danger. Oh, and one more thing: you guys will need to use your own means of transport."

"Affirmative." Percy hung up, and begun packing his clothes and weapons. He called Nico and Leo, putting the call on speaker so he can multitask.

"Sup?" Leo's accent was slightly noticeable, his cheerful attitude contagious to Percy (Nico was somewhat of Leo's counter).

"Something up?" Nico asked, sounding as if he just woke up.

 _Glad to see nothing is new with these two,_ Parker chuckled internally.

"Chiron has a new mission for us. We're gonna be bodyguards. _Undercover_ bodyguards." Nico sighed unenthusiastically.

"Really? Who's bodyguards?" He asked. Percy grinned at his tone, before replying to the usually silent boy.

"These girls whose family made some not so nice friends. We won't be given transportation so we'll need our own. Right now, my GAF Factor is low, so until we get the files and we arrive at the house, I don't particularly care about this mission."

Leo and Nico laughed at their leader's tone.

"Of course you don't, Percy. Your GAF Factor is almost always as low as Nicky-boy here." More laughter, before Nico growled in annoyance.

"If you ever call me that again I will not hesitate to trace your location and gut you. Then I'll string you up like Christmas lights using your spinal cord."

"Whatever you say, Nicky, whatever you say."

Percy had to sit down to keep from falling on his ass from laughter. "You two are like brothers; always fighting, I swear."

"Say that again and you'll end up FUBAR!" They shouted at him in unison.

Percy's phone rings, indicating that he has another incoming call.

"Hold on, guys." He pressed a button on his phone and answered the call.

"Wassup?"

"It's Travis. Have you heard anything from Michael or Ethan?"

"Not yet. But since we're talking, Chiron has a new mission for us. Let him, and your brother know, if I haven't gotten to any of them yet. We're playing bodyguard to this group of girls whose families were stupid enough to make some enemies and endanger their children. We're in charge of keeping them safe for a while."

"Got it. I'll pass it on and get packed?" The mischievous blond on the other end asked the last bit in confirmation.

"Yep. Just some clothes and weapons. Chiron said he had everything else ready."

"Alright, cool. See ya later, Boss." He glared halfheartedly at the phone as Travis hung up.

 _Again, with that stupid nickname._

Travis and Connor loved to call him 'Boss' because when he was appointed their leader, he made it clear that he hated formalities.

In retaliation, he'd retort by calling them Sprinkles and Jellohead (long story).

Percy switched back to the call with Leo and Nico, putting them on speaker once more.

"'Kay, I'm back. You two done packing? I got a few more mags and scopes then I'll be ready."

"I don't have much to pack to begin with. I'm ready to move out when everyone else is." Nico, like always, replied immediately.

Leo's end was silent for a few more beats before they heard any sign of him.

"Alrighty then. Now I'm done. Got my tools, suitcase and trusty weapons. Ready to roll, _amigos_."

"Stay frosty, and Leo, before you make any more bad jokes, know that I will gut you when we get to the house." You could almost _hear_ him gulp in fear.

"Got it boss. No bad jokes till we get to the house." In a snap, he was back to his cheeky self.

The oldest among them sighed good-naturedly. "I'm hoping Chiron lets you off the mission and replaces you with someone else." Nico laughed as Leo protested, exclaiming about how such a remark hurt his feelings.

"See you two at the house."

Hanging up and he then dialed Michael. When he picked up the phone, Percy told him about the new mission.

"Oh yeah, Ethan told me about it. I've already packed my clothes, but Ethan didn't say anything about weapons. Will they be needed?"

"Just a few, in case the house doesn't have what we're used to."

"Got it."

"Tell your Ethan I said stay frosty and that he'll need his car keys. We won't be provided transportation, so we'll need our own."

"That's fine with me. I'd rather use my own car anyway."

Michael hung up, leaving Percy to grab his stuff and car keys. Throwing his suitcase in the trunk, he started his matte dark blue Audi R8 and drove to base.

At the front desk, the lady at the desk handed him the file, along with seven identical, unmarked manila envelopes.

By the time Percy got to the parking lot and finished reviewing his file, six other cars were parked near and around his own.

Putting in his Bluetooth earpiece and connecting to the private communications line Leo had made to use during missions, Percy revved his engine and spoke to his team, going from casual to professional in .2 seconds.

"Alright, follow me to the house and we can unpack and explore. Gotta get familiar with our surroundings before we debrief." At the mention of exploring, he got a chorus of affirmative replies.

They drove in a single file line, making a few left turns, a single right turn, and one U-turn thanks to Leo before ending up in the richer side of town.

All around were big, no, _gigantic_ houses with sprawling back/front yards, and what must fit at _least_ ten rooms on each of the two or three floors.

 _This mission has_ got _some nice perks,_ Percy said to himself.

"Woahhhhh..." You could just hear the drool coming out of Leo's mouth.

Travis whistled appreciatively. "I could get used to living like this for a while."

"Ha, Jason and Frank are gonna be so jealous of us once they find out," Ethan snickered.

"Shit, I'd be, too. But they get gloating rights for not having to go to school, like we do," Percy pointed out.

"Aw, what?"

"School?!"

"You've GOT to be kidding me, Sparks."

"Enough with that horrible nicknames, Leo." Percy rolled his eyes. "And yep. We got school. Suck thumb, guys. We gotta act normal, hence the term undercover. We only blow cover if necessary."

Groans of agony and reluctance were the only responses he got.

We pulled up to the house; the house across the street just as grand and expensive looking. I assumed that it belonged to the girls we were assigned to protect.

* * *

o0o

* * *

 **Drew Takahashi POV**

No one seems to realize that I have a very acute awareness when I sense a cute boy anywhere in the vicinity. Why else would I wake up earlier than normal and get the urge to look out the window?

Imagine my surprise when I see not one cute boy but _seven_ cute boys.

That's right, _seven_.

I was astounded, because never has there been more than two cute boys here before at the same time.

They were out in the front yard, washing their cars (each were drool worthy and in good condition).

 _I'm not even going to question why they're out of the bed and doing labor before the sun is fully up, because gods have mercy on me, they're all so gorgeous._

The one with the midnight blue car pushed his jet black hair out of his dark blue eyes, before tossing the bottle of cleaning solution to the boy next to him, spraying the windows of the matte black car and making them spotless.

The Latino boy called to one of the twin blonds, the one nearest to him tossing him a rag, which he used to shine the wheels of his sunset orange car.

The other twin grabbed the hose and rinsed his black and yellow car, before aiming the hose at his twin and his matching black and yellow car.

The boy with the blood red car rolled his eyes while smiling.

He said something to the one with the white car and they cracked up.

Suddenly the first boy got a call and groaned. He got the others attention and the others groaned as well.

 _How can groaning be so attractive?_ I sighed dreamily. _This is the best thing for a girl to wake up to._

They went inside and I went downstairs to make some coffee. As a pot brewed, Reyna came in through the door, probably back from her morning run.

"We have new neighbors." She had a curious expression on her face as she got a mug out of the cabinet above the counter next to the stove.

"Stalking already?" I teased. She smirked and shook her head.

"Not yet. I only saw their cars; oh, god their cars were beautiful. And there were _seven_ of them!" I poured myself a cup and handed her the pot as I reply.

"If you think their cars are sexy, wait till you see them person." I stirred in milk and sugar before sipping my liquid heaven in smug satisfaction as she chokes and spit the hot drink into the sink.

"You've seen them?! In the flesh?"

"Acute awareness, remember? I woke up early as hell and looked out my window." I tapped my temple and gave her a "This is why you should take me seriously" look.

"Oh, yeah. Your acute awareness thing," she snorted. "Just tell me what they look like. Or were you joking when you said that?" She crossed her arms over her chest, giving me a look.

"What did she say?" Zoe, one of the oldest girls here, yawned as she entered the kitchen.

"Nothing too interesting. But we did get some hot new neighbors." The sleepy older girl poured herself a cup and started brewing another pot.

"Did we? How lovely. Now me and Hylla can make fun of you girls while you drool all over them." She shook her head as she sipped her coffee, already feeling it's effects.

"Zoe, you and my sister are only a year and a half older than the rest of us. Don't act like you're already 30 and married," Reyna deadpanned.

We all laughed at that imagery, especially at the married part.

Zoe had a habit of putting her responsibilities before any romance related thoughts; I'm pretty sure the last time she had a date was... Never.

After the three of us finished off two pots of coffee, Hylla, Calypso, Annabeth and Bianca came downstairs and had their own cups of coffee while gossiping about the boys next door.

"From what I saw, they were carved by the gods. Like, even the shortest of them had some meat on him! Wherever they lived before must've beefed them up." I told them, Reyna and Calypso listening intently.

"I doubt they were that attractive, Drew. Are you sure that's not your boy crazy side talking?" Hylla snorted derisively.

"How about we go see for ourselves, hm?" Reyna declared, already heading to the door.

I was right on her heels, wanting a second glance at the next door hotties. _No way in hell am I missing this._

"Wait! Reyna, Drew, where are you going!?" Bianca shouted after us.

"To introduce myself!" She shouted back, slipping on some flats.

* * *

o0o

* * *

 **Nico DeAngelo POV**

Since I couldn't sleep after waking up at 3 am, I decided to go through and clean my personal arsenal of weaponry to pass time.

Halfway through cleaning one of my glocks, the doorbell rang.

Swearing under my breath, I quickly put my glock back together and gathered as many weapons as I could into my hands before rushing back upstairs to my room and dumping them on my bed.

The rest I hid under the couch to put away later.

The doorbell rang again and I shouted for them to hold on a second. Whoever they were, patience was obviously not one of their virtues.

I jogged over to the door and opened it, finding myself looking at a group of girls. _Pretty_ girls. Seven, to be exact.

 _What are they doing on our doorstep? Aw shit, this was always Percy's strong suit..._

They, however, seemed to be more focused on my-

 _Oh, fuck, I forgot a shirt._

I coughed, somewhat embarrassed. That caused them to look up at me again, just as embarrassed, it seemed.

"Did... you girls need something?" I asked slowly. The sleep I missed out on decided to suddenly take its toll; my voice became deeper and huskier (much to my embarrassment).

 _What perfectly inconvenient timing_ , I said to myself.

"Yeah we just wanted to introduce ourselves since you guys are new and probably don't know anyone," said the blonde ( _Ethan's assignment, right?_ ).

Her blue-grey eyes seemed both welcoming and wary, a rather odd combination.

"Well thanks. I'm Nico. You are...?" I knew exactly who they were but I had to keep up the appearance of "clueless new kid on the block," or I'd blow our cover.

"I'm Annaliese," the blonde smiled. I almost told her I already knew that before biting my tongue sharply.

 ** _Get it together, Nico,_** Percy's stern voice reminds me.

"Zoe Nightshade, nice to meet you, Nico," said one of the taller ones, with her hair in a long braid down her back.

 _Speaking of Percy, there's his assignment. Poor guy... I bet he's gonna be whipped in three months, tops._ I almost smirked, but stopped myself just in time.

"I'm Reyna and this is my sister Hylla. Don't mind her, she can be a stick in the mud." She was brunette like her sister, who glared at her then smiled at me.

 _Travis' and Michael's assignments. Gotta admit... Chiron sure knows what he's doing._

"My name is Calypso!" Her auburn colored hair was loose and almost shimmered in the morning sun, much like her smile.

 _I'm supposed to protect her. Damn, those pictures did not do these girls justice,_ I think to myself.

"Hi! I'm Bianca Di Angelo, pleasure to meet you!" She had the same olive skin as I did, only mine was paler in comparison.

 _It suits her dark hair,_ I mused. _Leo's going to lay it on thick with this one... and he's gonna get slapped._

"And I'm Drew. Save the best for last, amiright?" She laughed cockily.

 _Yep, she is definitely gonna get along with Cody. Oh, shit, I better keep an eye on those two._

The peaceful conversation was interrupted by a loud crash near the stairs. Seconds later a groan sounded, and a string of swear words soon after.

" **NICO ALESSANDRO DEANGELO, I SWEAR TO GOD IF YOU LEAVE YOUR SHIT ON THE STAIRS ONE MORE TIME I WILL GUT YOU AND USE YOUR INSIDES AS HOME DECOR!** " I winced, and scratched my head sheepishly.

 _Shit, I must've dropped a gun or something..._

The girls, however, looked downright terrified, huddling closer to each other and behind me for cover.

* * *

o0o

* * *

 **Zoe Nightshade POV**

I did not expect to hear the roar of Satan this early in the morning.

The power and ferocity behind that voice was astounding... It had me shivering in fear.

Nico, on the other hand, only scratched his head sheepishly. He turned to us and gave an apologetic smile.

"Don't worry, he's harmless."

 _HARMLESS?! HE JUST TOLD YOU HE'D GUT YOU AND USE YOUR INSIDES AS DECORATION! THAT'S NOT HARMLESS!_ I shouted in my head.

"He's not much of a morning person, he'll be fine once he has his coffee." I snorted involuntarily (I've been doing that a lot this morning).

"He just threatened your life and you act like you're discussing the weather," I muttered under my breath.

"In the meantime, you guys can co-" Nico looked back for a second before Reyna prodded him.

"We can come in?" She prompted, and he held up a finger to signify that he wanted us to wait.

The seven of us looked at each other curiously.

 _What was he waiting for?_ I couldn't figure out what would make him pause like that.

"Hold on, we need to clean up the house. Sorry for the long wait," He scratched his head again sheepishly.

"It's fine," Annabeth assured him.

We all knew what she meant by her reassurance: we'd have a chance to talk and brainstorm what was up with the quiet guy.

"Be right back, it'll only take a minute or two to clean up." He shut the door and not even five seconds after came a yell and the sound of a large commotion.

"What could be going on in there?" Hylla asked, voicing what we all wanted to know. I shrugged, unable to even think of a logical and possible solution to all the noise.

" ** _ДЛЯ ЛЮБВИ БОГА, СЕРЬЕЗНЫЙ ДЛЯ ОДНОГО_**!" We all looked back at the door as if it was the one who spoke.

"Any guess as to what that was?" Bianca asked the rest of us, and I could only shrug.

"French maybe? Hell, if I know," Hylla commented, crossing her arms.

 _Always the impatient one,_ I snickered in my head. There was another crash, and another yell.

"STOLL, VALDEZ, DON'T Y- OH MY GOD WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE CLEANING!" It was followed by silence then-

 _Crash._

"DAMMIT YOU TWO, QUIT DICKING AROUND!" We waited for the silence. Sure, enough, it went quiet only for another-

 _Crash._

"HEY, WHO TOUCHED MY- WAIT, NEVER MIND!"

It quieted again instantly and we were all stunned.

 _What in the Hell was going on in there?_ I didn't have to wait long for an answer.

The door opened and another guy in his late teens opened the door, saying we'd have to wait a little longer.

He had blond hair, light blue eyes, and a troublemaking grin on his face paired with a wink, which made me grimace in distaste.

I could _smell_ the wannabe alpha male on him from a mile; guys like him didn't impress me at all. In fact, they made me want to break out the poser repellent.

He was about to speak when the same voice from earlier sounded throughout the house.

"CONNOR, YOU LITTLE SHIT WHERE'S THE MAGAZINE I LEFT ON THE BAR?!"

Connor became terrified at the roar from within the house.

We had no clue who it was until the owner of the yell came to the door, grabbing hold of Connor by the back of his white tank top.

My eyes widened and I swear I felt a little disoriented by his mere _presence_.

He was _inhumanly_ attractive. He was the very definition, in my mind, of eye candy. As much as I wanted to, I couldn't deny his good looks.

Jet black hair hung messily in sea green eyes, and when we made eye contact, it was as if I were suddenly transported to depths of the ocean. He wore a smirk as well, but his was different from Connor's.

While Connor's smirk was a weak projection of Alpha authority and power, his smirk was undeniably a smirk of 100% alpha male.

I blushed a bit when I realized that he caught me staring in awe.

"I would be cordial and extra polite to set a good impression," he admitted, "but I'm not- actually more like, _they're_ not very good at that. We didn't know we'd have company over so the house was a bit... unsightly." He scratched his head apologetically, looking at me for a second before smiling.

"No need to apologize, we're the guests," Calypso assured. "Thank you for letting us in."

"OI, YOU BOYS DONE CLEANING? IT ISN'T GOOD MANNERS TO KEEP LADIES WAITING!" He yelled over his bare shoulder.

That's when I realized.

He was shirtless.

* * *

 **Hope you liked it, and of course, reviews are appreciated!**

 **Yes, this story is really different in terms of the character's personalities, and yes, I ship Perzoe hardcore, and yes, Nico's last name is not his actual last name in canon but I don't want Bianca and Nico to be siblings in this fic, but I love their last names, so I just spelled Nico's differently. And _yes_ , Nico is straight in this story. No ships for him, yet, but he's not gay (as much as I love canon-gay!Nico, it doesn't fit in this story). **

**Also, I have this same story up on Wattpad, however, the names are different. The reason the names are different is because I originally wrote it as a PJO fanfic, but then decided it should be an original story, so I changed the names. But now that I'm posting it here as a PJO fanfic, I'm keeping everything the same except the names. And if you're concerned about the ages, and personalities, then don't worry. This story is AU and OOC for a reason ;)**

**And by the way:**

 ***"GAF Factor" means "Give A Fuck Factor"**

 ***"Suck thumb" means "quit complaining"**

 ***"Stay frosty" means "stay alert"**

 ***"FUBAR" means "Fucked Up Beyond All Recognition"**

 ** **(It's military slang^)****

 **~MrsBennettFrazier**


	2. Chapter 2

**Zoe Nightshade POV**

 _How embarrassing..._ I cringed inwardly.

I had been paying so much attention to his face, I'd totally disregarded anything else on his person.

"YEAH, I'M CLEAR ON MY END!" Came a shout from within the house.

"ALL THOSE DONE CLEANING, SHOUT 'CLEAR!'" Just how he could be so commanding was beyond me. It was also beyond my comprehension how he could be so _attractive._

I like to think that I'm rather picky when it comes to men, but he surpassed such standards easily (going by what I've seen of him so far, both physically and personality wise).

I happened to like men who both earned and got respect from those they associate with. He clearly earned respect from his friends, and he didn't give off that 'You will respect me because I demand it' air that I so despised.

I also found it incredibly attractive when a man had a sense of chivalry. Gentleman are so much more sophisticated and refined than a street thug, in my opinion.

Of course, I cannot stand the type of man that expects to be served hand and foot by their partners (though I will not judge if their partner is okay with this).

I value responsibility and when a man takes his responsibilities seriously like I do, that makes him ten times more likely to not gamble and be addicted to any type of life destroying substance. Addicts are the opposite of ideal for me.

I stopped my internal appraisal of this unknown and gorgeous man when some nudges me.

"I saw that," Hylla murmured to me discreetly. I merely respond with a blank look of disinterest. She has no need to know about my inner thoughts, yet.

"I have no idea of what you're talking about, Hylla," I whispered back, smiling lightly.

"Oh _please_. I'm your best friend. You're not fooling me; you think he's hot." I let out a short and dismissive chuckle.

"I do not. Do not mistake me for your sister or Drew, Hylla. I have more class than to be attracted to someone within five minutes," I said, crossing my arms over my chest.

Our conversation was stopped short when the door opened again ( _I didn't even notice it closed... I need to stay aware of my surroundings_ ) a fully clothed blue eyed man stood in the doorway.

"You can come in now... Our house is no longer atrocious looking anymore. We just moved in yesterday, so things were a bit scattered." He flashed a smile, motioning for us to enter.

* * *

o0o

* * *

 **Perseus Jackson POV**

Company was the last thing I expected when I woke up this morning. But a visit from _them_ especially? At 9 am in the morning? On a Saturday?

The _last_ thing I'd ever expect.

I only went downstairs to get some coffee (I'm always half asleep and dysfunctional without it), when I tripped on something cold and metal, then fell down the stairs and into something apparently very fragile.

Groaning, I looked at the stairs and see a shiny black AMT AutoMag IV, a 1970's handgun.

I know only one person to date with a 1970's AutoMag.

"Nico," I growled. "You little shit. How many times do I keep telling you not to leave your shit on the stairs, kid."

Standing up, I grab the vase and put it back where it fell from.

" **NICO ALESSANDRO DEANGELO, I SWEAR TO GOD IF YOU LEAVE YOUR SHIT ON THE STAIRS ONE MORE TIME I WILL GUT YOU AND USE YOUR INSIDES AS HOME DECOR!** " My shout reverberated throughout the house.

I mutter angrily while making my way to the kitchen for a gallon of coffee, only to see Nico in the door talking to someone.

 _Coffee first. Coffee, my beautiful dark roasted goddess._

As I began to brew that magical liquid life, Nico came into the kitchen, looking frantic.

"Percy!" He hissed urgently. "They wanna come in! We have to clean the house!"

"Pfft, since when do you care about good impressions?" I rolled my eyes, looking for my cup.

"Percy, you grouchy fucking idiot. It's. The. _Girls_. Dumbass."

I almost dropped my cup.

"Fuck me," I groaned, putting my cup down as gently as my emotions allowed before me and Nico rush to the stairs.

"Oh yeah, by the way. Get your shit off the stairs; if this happens again I'm neutering you." He gave me a rare smile.

"Noted, big bro."

We run down the upstairs, banging on doors, telling them to go under alias.

"WAKE UP, ALL OF YOU. I WANT YOUR ROOMS CLEARED OF ANY SUSPICIOUS ITEMS; WE HAVE VISITORS!" I opened Travis and Connor's room, planning on ripping their blankets off of them.

Travis yelped and clung to the blanket, falling to the floor in a pained and half asleep pile. Ignoring his dramatic groans of pain, I do the same to Connor.

"Get up, the girls are here and want to come in, we have to clear the house of all weapons." They're more alert now, but still lagging behind on starting to hide their guns, knives and Travis's crossbow.

I hear Leo crying in the other room across the hall, only to yelp in pain. I smirked in approval.

 _Good job, little bro_ , I praised, running to Ethan's room, banging on his door.

Once everyone was awake, we went downstairs and hid away all stray weaponry, strewn files, and anything to note suspicion to normal people.

However, as we're doing so, Travis and Connor behaved like they always did when they were in the same room: like total fucking idiots.

Leo, being the total goofball he is, wasn't helping either.

The three of them were pretending to be in a three way boxing match, tossing trash and pillows at each other while swinging.

" _ **ДЛЯ ЛЮБВИ БОГА, СЕРЬЕЗНЫЙ ДЛЯ ОДНОГО**_!" I yelled, causing them to squeak and drop the pillows immediately.

Ethan and Michael picked the two pillows up and put them where it was supposed to be. I gave the two of them a grateful nod.

Michael patted my shoulder and returned the look with one of sympathy.

We continued cleaning in near silence until I heard Leo growl, "Travis! Put it down, you little shithead!"

Travis smirked, holding up a small, long silver chain, saying, "This? Finder's keepers, right? Isn't that what you told me when you found my headphones?" in an innocent tone.

Leo lunged, pinning Trevor down and grabbing for the chain. Travis, a shark-like smile on his face, kneed Leo in the gut and rolled over so that he was on top. He dangled the chain in in the brunett's face mockingly.

Not in the mood for their roughhousing, I asserted my authority over the both of them.

"STOLL, VALDEZ, DON'T Y-" They ignored me and continued to behave like children. "OH MY GOD, WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE CLEANING!" Leo now had Travis in a choke hold.

Going over and ripping them off of each other, I give them warning glares. "You can fight later, you fucking troublemakers."

Leo jerks a thumb towards the Twins. "They're the troublemakers, not me, Sparks."

The two blonds denied nothing, only snickering mischievously. Fighting the urge to facepalm, I point to the trash covered floor in a silent order to go back to cleaning.

Once we finished straightening the living room, we each cleared our rooms of anything that normal guys shouldn't have in their rooms.

As I was mounting my nun-chucks and brass knuckles to the wall, Nico popped his head in my doorway.

"Have you see a magazine that carries sniper rifle shells? I'm missing one from my inventory and Leo is up my ass about it." I look over my shoulder at him as I reload my desert eagle.

"Yeah, I've seen a magazine for a sniper rifle; it should be on the bar downstairs. I'll go down there and bring it back, okay?"

"Thanks, big bro," he smiled. "I'll be in my room in the meantime." I waved him off, before replacing the false wall in my closet. I headed towards the stairs, mentally timing how long we've had the girls wait outside.

 _It's only been seven minutes... is that too long? I hope they haven't gotten upset and went back to their house. Talk about bad first impressions._

Hearing a crash from the twin's room, I went to investigate the cause of the noise.

I opened the door and saw Travis and Connor throwing things at each other, engaged in a shouting match.

"DAMMIT YOU TWO, QUIT DICKING AROUND!" They immediately cease fire (both verbal and physical) at the tone in my voice.

 _At this rate I'll lose my voice within a day. If that happens, they're all dead._ Taking a deep breath, I give them a stern look of annoyance.

"Okay, okay. We're sorry!" They give me twin expressions, a habit of theirs when I catch them doing something stupid or bad.

"Just get back to cleaning; if I have to come back in here you're both dead and I'm mounting your heads on my wall back at base." They both blanch and nod emphatically.

"Ain't happening again, boss! We promise!"

"Damn right it's not," I muttered, heading down to the bar. Just as I begin walking down the hall I hear someone shout:

"HEY, WHO TOUCHED MY- WAIIIT, NEVER MIND!"

Ignoring it, I continue on down the hall towards the stairs.

 _Huh,_ _s_ _o that_ _magazine I found near the coffee table earlier was Nico's; I should've expected it, he's the only one in the house with a high-impact sniper rifle._ I sighed for the millionth time.

My team was off to a rocky start and it's only the second day.

When I got to the bar I realized there was a problem: the magazine wasn't there. Pulling out my phone, I text Nico, a feeling in my gut.

I hear a scuffing sound and turn to see Connor trying to get to the front door stealthily. Narrowing my eyes at him in clear suspicion and curiosity, I watch as he tries to act innocent.

 _That feeling is even stronger now..._ I guess this was why Chiron always told us to think with our hearts and not our heads.

I let him get to the front door before shouting after him, "CONNOR, YOU LITTLE SHIT WHERE'S THE MAGAZINE I LEFT ON THE BAR?!"

 _If he responds, he's not the one who took it. If he doesn't, then my gut feeling was right._

When silence was the only thing to reach my ears, I knew I had him. _Good god, Cody. If you and your brother keep this up I swear I'm sending you two back to Chiron in_ _ **pieces**_ _._

Thinking dark thoughts, I walked towards the door, prepared to reprimand the mischievous blond about hiding things just for shits and giggles.

Coming up behind him, I see the girls waiting at the door. _Shit, I forgot they were waiting._ I cursed myself. _Guess I can't kill him_ yet _._

Putting on a light smirk, I discreetly grabbed Connor by the shirt and pinched him. He tensed slightly, trying to maintain a neutral expression.

"I would be cordial and extra polite to set a good impression," I addressed them, "but I'm not- actually more like, _they're_ not very good at that. We didn't know we'd have company over so the house was a bit... unsightly." I scratched my head, looking at my assignment for a second before smiling.

 ** _Talk about putting the ass in assignment..._** The dirtier part of me noted. **_She's a total hottie. Hopefully she's down for a night by the end of this._**

I mentally rolled my eyes in disgust. _I'm sometimes ashamed that you and I are both the same conscience._

 ** _That didn't stop you from letting me take the reigns when you and Rachel used to get naughty in the bedroom every Saturday night._**

 _Hence why I said sometimes, because that's the only time you're useful, it seems._

 ** _You wound me. You really do._**

"No need to apologize, we're the guests," Calypso's soft and assuring tone interrupted my thoughts. "Thank you for letting us in."

Nodding graciously, I wonder if the rest of the boys are done cleaning. _If they're not, they're in trouble. I can't stall for much longer._

"OI, YOU BOYS DONE CLEANING? IT ISN'T GOOD MANNERS TO KEEP LADIES WAITING!" I yelled over my bare shoulder.

"YEAH, I'M CLEAR ON MY END!" Michael yelled back.

"ALL THOSE DONE CLEANING, SHOUT 'CLEAR!'"

"CLEAR, BOSS!" Leo's accent was easy to pick out of the chorus of responses.

"I'LL BE CLEAR IN A FEW MINUTES," Ethan hollered back.

Travis stuck his upper body out of his window, yelling, "CLEAR!"

Satisfied, I invited them in, holding the door open for them like my mother taught me to when I was a young boy.

The oldest, Zoe, smiled at me as she walked past. I return the gesture and complimented her beautiful necklace.

"Thank you, it's been in my family for a long time. A wedding gift from my great- grandfather to my great grand-mother on my mother's side."

"It's beautiful. Much like it's wearer," I winked playfully.

She blushed faintly, before turning away. I grinned, texting the others to gather in the living room for introductions.

* * *

o0o

* * *

 **Hylla Avila Ramirez-Arellano** **POV**

The house was similar to our own, yet very sleek in layout, color scheme and design. It was hard to believe a group of men lived here if most of them weren't sprawled out in the living room.

Zoe's possible love interest clapped his hands to gain our full attention, and flashed us all a charming smile from where he sat on the couch.

"I'd like to formally introduce myself. My name is Percy, and it's a pleasure to be in the company of such beautiful ladies." Zoe sat up a bit straighter and I almost rolled my eyes at her.

He nudged the guy next to him, a lightskinned young man, probably 17 or 18 at least. He sat up straight, his face impassive and calm as he cleared his throat.

"Hello," he began. I was blown away by how deep his voice was; it was a very pleasant sound to hear. "My name is Michael Yew, and I hope you all have had a lovely morning." Like with Percy, we returned the salutations in a friendly manner.

 _He must've been raised by people who work in the business industry like me. Or lawyers. He'd excel at either professions with that calm grace and posture. Maybe I should mention it to father..._ I continued down the line, watching each one.

The curly haired young man next to the lightskin had features that made me think Latino descent; one arm resting on the back of the couch, the other tapping his index finger on his thigh in an erratic beat, looking lost in his thoughts.

He was startled when Michael tapped his knee, mumbling ( _probably telling him what's going on_ ). The curly haired teen coughed before smiling flirtatiously at us.

" _Hola_ ladies," he said as he gave a casual salute. "The name is Leo, but you can call me whatever you want..." he paused to smirk suggestively. "Especially _papi_ when we're alone."

Nico rolled his eyes before telling Leo to "quit scaring the poor girls with his perverse nature."

On the other end of the couch, there was there was a bored looking brunett with heterochromia (different coloured eyes), but when it was his turn he suddenly turned a bit shy.

"Hey, I'm Ethan..." He waved his hand in a rather awkward but kinda cute gesture.

We laugh, doing that thing that really close friends do by communicating with our expressions and certain gestures. Ethan looks as if he doesn't know whether or not to be embarrassed at his sudden shyness.

One of the blonds patted his shoulder sympathetically. Speaking of the twins, it was their turn to introduce themselves while we were coming down from the laughing fit.

The two blond brothers were lounging on the ends of the couch casually, like entitled Siamese cats. The one next to Percy on the right end of the couch spoke first.

"I'm Travis, the older and better twin," he grinned, before turning to his brother and childishly sticking out his tongue. His brother returned the favor and tossed a pillow lazily in his direction.

"I'm Connor, the younger twin by four minutes. But _I'm_ the better one because my birthday wasn't a joke." Connor, without looking at his brother, flipped him off at the same time he did, as if there was some sort of mental connection foreseeing the action.

Percy, like a father to his sons, scolded them lightly, telling them to "behave themselves or else they'd be on dish and toilet duty for the next month."

I giggled at how similar they are to me and my sister. Is that how people saw us? No wonder the other girls found us so funny!

"Glad _someone_ finds us funny," Connor mumbled, causing everyone to look my way.

Reyna looked especially surprised that I showed any signs of enjoyment. Having the decency to look bashful, I lower my head and clear my throat quickly.

"Uh, sorry about that. I just had a funny thought and couldn't help myself... please, continue," I gesture to the twin on the left end of the couch.

"It's fine, we're done introducing ourselves; you guys need to introduce yourselves to us now." Drew perks up at this.

"I'm Reyna, the one and only hotstuff of the group." While I playfully rolled my eyes, she grinned at the boys, shooting a finger gun.

This was a riot to them: they were laughing and looking over at Leo, saying he had competition. After a stern look from Michael, they quickly calmed down, apologizing and telling us to go on.

Drew was next.

"Hey, wassup, my name's Drew!" She lowered her voice to a mock whisper and put a hand to her mouth as if she were to tell a secret. "Don't tell Reyna this, but she's not actually the hot one... I am." She winked conspiratorially. Reyna glared and smacked her on the shoulder.

Before they get too physical, Zoe coughed loudly, pointedly gesturing as if to say, "Hurry up!"

Looking sheepish, they quiet down as Calypso introduces herself.

"Hi," she waved timidly. "I am Calypso Montaigne and it's been a pleasure meeting you guys." They boys give her waves of their own, just as polite as she.

Bianca was even more so shy. She could barely look up in their direction as she spoke.

"H-Hello... I'm Bianca Di Angelo. Thank you for allowing us the pleasure of this visit," she smiled and just like always, the boys were momentarily stunned.

Bianca was a looker even if she was shy, but her smile was her most noticeable feature.

It was very warm, friendly and just made you think of your favourite weather and the smell of autumn spices. She always tried to be modest about it but we all knew the truth.

Her smile was the kind of smile thieves take years to learn, just so they can distract and disarm their targets while relieving them of their money and other valuables.

 _Well, she's definitely disarmed them now_ , I think to myself, smiling proudly.

Annabeth snaps a finger at the boys, giggling at their shattered stupor.

" _Boys_!" She exclaims, rolling her eyes at us in a "What can you do?" expression. They had the decency to look slightly abashed at staring so blatantly.

"My name is Annabeth, and I do hope you boys aren't reduced to drooling zombies when in the presence of my gorgeous friends," she shook her head, a teasing smile on her face.

Ethan cleared his throat, any past shyness gone.

"No promises, ma'am, you yourself are gorgeous, too. After all, we are but humble beings of the male species. There's only enough blood to think with one head at a time," he said humorously, a smirk in his eyes.

Percy chuckled, but said nothing, while Michael sighed disapprovingly. Leo opened his mouth but was silenced by a look from Nico, who then gave the same look to the twins.

"I haven't even said anything yet!" Connor objected. Us girls gave each other and came to the same conclusion: these boys were definitely in another class from any of the other males we know of.

Michael catches my eye and silently asks me a question.

 _And who are you?_

"For those of you who don't know, my name is Hylla, and it's a pleasure to meet your acquaintance." A graceful smile followed as I gave a sweeping glance across the opposing couch's occupants.

Finally, we all look at Zoe, who clears her throat and utters a quick, "Hello, I'm Zoe Nightshade. It's been wonderful meeting you all."

As soon as she finished her sentence, something beeped obnoxiously, ruining the relaxed mood. We all looked at each other, trying to pinpoint the source.

"Ah," I say, bringing my phone out of my back pocket. I hadn't silenced m-

 ** _Oh no._**

All seven of us girls knew what that alarm meant. I was cursing myself for my irresponsibility and forgetfulness, as we all rushed to gather our things and put on our shoes.

One by one, we shouted a hasty goodbye and an apology for leaving as quick as Cinderella at midnight; the confusion on the faces of the boys being the last thing we saw as the door shut behind Annabeth (the last one to exit).

* * *

o0o

* * *

 **Ethan Nakamura POV**

It's a few days before the first day of school (and three days after the girls left so abruptly) when Percy wakes us up to go shopping for clothes and minimum school supplies.

I _swear he never sleeps..._ Groaning, I push myself up off the bed and head to my bathroom. _At least we get these luxury work perks._

I undress, take a piss and get in the shower. Turning on the water, I curse when scalding hot water hits my skin. Shutting it off immediately, I turn it to freezing cold. Turning it back on, I sigh in relief as I begin to wash my hair.

 _I don't see why we can't just stake out the school instead of- wait, never mind that means if the opposition ever found out about us, they'd plan to avoid being seen by us and once they're in the school the girls are easy pickings. Shit. Chiron, that smart brain of yours is both amazing and annoying._

I rinse off the Head and Shoulders, asking myself if I should just get one notebook for all my classes and spend the rest on pens or buy multiple notebooks and three or four pens.

 _Better make it one notebook and a shitload of pens... Not like I'll have any use for the notebooks once we're done with the mission._

After doing a quick scrub down of my body, I rinse and get out, wrapping my towel around my waist. I get out of the bathroom and head over to my closet, putting on some joggers, a worn out and fading T-shirt, and an olive green zip up hoodie.

"Shit, where are my dog tags?" Looking around, I check the lamp on the nightstand, and there they are, hanging from the lampshade. "Found ya," I say as I put them around my neck.

Grabbing my wallet, I head out of my room. I open my door just as Percy does and we exchange smiles and head nods.

"Mornin', Spades," he chuckles. I just flick his ear and huff in annoyance (he calls me Spades because of my uncanny skill in casino games).

I sigh in protest. "You know, just because Travis, Connor and Leo subject you to terrible nicknames doesn't mean you get to do such a thing to me." I shake my head, causing him to laugh.

I join in, punching his shoulder good-naturedly. Leo catches us coming down the stairs as he exits the kitchen, a chocolate drizzled croissant in his right hand and a cup of milk in the other.

"G'morning, Sparks, 'Jack. We got croissants all warmed up on the stove; they're sooo gooooddd..." he took another bite before continuing on his way upstairs.

"Ooh, croissants. We better hurry before they're devoured by the two resident black holes," Percy chuckles.

My leader then gestures towards the kitchen door in a silent proposal for a race. I grin back slyly, nodding.

He suddenly takes off, hooting with laughter. I only shake my head for the second time that morning and immediately climb onto the table (which was a bit unstable), hopping onto the bar.

I slip, curse, and regain my balance balance as I leap off the table. Travis and Connor eat and watch in amusement as I make the short jump off the counter, right when Percy comes through the entrance, wearing only a pair of grey Calvin Klein boxers.

Up till now, Nico had been ignoring us. He turned around in curiosity when Travis spoke, trying not to laugh and spray half eaten food everywhere.

"Dude," He mumbles with croissant in his mouth. "Where'd your pants go?"

Percy looked down as we started laughed our asses off. He's laughing, too, as he explains.

"My belt loop got stuck on a doorway and since Ethan and I were racing, I took them off rather than try and get loose," he chuckled as we calmed down.

Nico shook his head as he glanced down at Percy's pantsless form. "Bro..." he said, smiling. "You are one crazy bastard."

We roared into laughter, punctuated by the short silence of one or two of us taking a sip of coffee. Our laughter fades into the peaceful quiet of the morning... all for about five seconds.

Next thing we know, Connor gets a call, there's a loud noise from upstairs and the sudden commotion made me spill half of my hot coffee on my pants.

"Son of a fUCK!" I yell, putting my coffee down and fanning my right thigh. "What the fuck happened upstairs?!"

Percy is already on his way out of the kitchen as he says, " I'll go see what's wrong." The twins give me looks of amused sympathy as Travis hands me a sheet of paper towel.

Sighing, I follow after Percy (but not without grabbing two chocolate croissants from off the stove), already loosening the ties on my joggers.

When I peel off them off, I see a violent red welt where my skin was burned from the hot coffee.

"Ughhh," I groan, hanging my wet joggers on a coat rack (that prevents the liquid from developing mold when I put it in the laundry hamper). "Today is going to be one of those days you wish you stayed in bed for," I grumble, looking for something else to put on.

I settle for some black, baggy harem cargo pants and all white Converse aftet a few minutes of aimless searching in my closet.

 _Girls are so lucky_ , I think. _They look hot as fuck no matter what._

My mind flashes to Nera, my ex girlfriend.

It never mattered when or where she was, she'd always look stunning. It was one of the things I loved about her.

She could have a full face of makeup on and a cute outfit or just get out of bed, throw her hair in a bun, wear my sweater and some sweats without any make up on and I'd still get a massive hard-on.

It was unfair to both me and my dick, but I wouldn't have traded her for anything back then.

Shaking away those old memories, I quickly change and head back downstairs. Everyone else is there and either on the couch with their phones out (Leo, Connor and Nico) or sitting at the bar with some files out in front of them (Percy, Michael, Travis).

"Is everyone ready to go?" I ask. Percy nods, grunting as he and Michael finish up studying their respective files. Travis sighs in frustration as he circles something in red ink.

"It makes no sense. Their phone records are totally normal, and the only suspicious activity is from Zeus cheating on his wife!" He exclaims. Michael comes over to look at the phone records, along with Leo.

"Well at least we got something from them," I hear Michael comment, obviously trying to assuage the blond's mounting frustration. "If the phone records are clear then that's one source we can hold off on for now." Percy asks to see the records for a second.

He (and the rest of us) squint at the various numbers listed (showcasing all numbers called and texted to and from in the past six months), but they remain unchanged. Exhaling deeply, Percy puts the papers back in their proper place and pulls his keys out of his pockets.

"We'll look into it once we get back from the store," Percy tells us. Travis hesitates and for a second I thought he was going to say that he will stay behind and continue searching, but he doesn't. He just pulls out his keys like the rest of us and heads out the door to his car.

Leo informs us (on the road) that the nearest retail establishment was a gigantic two story mall with a two food courts (one on each floor) and more than 50 high end brands in the entire building.

 _Sounds like girl heaven_ , I say to myself.

"We can get some food and browse to get a general layout of a place I'm positive the girls will visit at least a few times a month," he continues as we follow the directions he sent to us.

"Just when I'm ready to strangle you, you redeem yourself," we hear Percy mumble under his breath, causing a rumble of laughter to sound through our earpieces.

Leo is the only one who doesn't laugh, opting for a sigh and a sarcastic, "Ah ha ha, that was sooo funny, Sparks."

"Aw, don't be sad, Leo. You know we mean it in the best way," I say lightly.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you guys say." He may sound disbelieving but we can all hear the smile in his voice.

We pull into the lot and park farthest from the door, so that we can park in a line (plus it's less likely for our paint jobs to be harmed by other people's inconsiderate and over-enthusiastic enthusiastic door opening). I park at the end of the line, between an empty space and Nico's black Tesla.

The sun is shining and as I step out of the car, I flip up my hood to shade my view. The twins' cars were gleaming in the sunlight, just as flashy as their owners appeared to be.

"Man, I'm so glad that I got a matte bodied car," I say to Nico.

"Same here. I'd rather not be blinded by my own car," he agrees. "Plus it draws attention."

"And we both know how you are when it comes to publicity, huh?" He gives me an amused smirk, elbowing me in the ribs.

"Indeed, we do; hence why I'm the best at theft and stealth. And it's not like people pay much attention to me, anyway." I sling an arm around his shoulders and give him a noogie.

"Who doesn't pay attention to you? You're like the most paid attention to person of the group, you modest little shithead!" I laugh aloud, as he struggles to escape my hold.

"Only because I have the most inventory and ammunition!" He protested, grinning wryly. I release him from his captivity and ruffle his hair.

"Whatever lets you sleep at night, kiddo." He takes a swing at me, but I back up, so he hit nothing but air.

I stuck my middle finger up at him, a taunting grin on my face. He chases after me, and I can barely hear Michael yell at us to stop acting like children in the distance.

* * *

 **Ahaha, there's the second chapter!**

 **I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, because there's a third one on the way very very soon...**

 **And of course, this is just a filler chapter to get them all acquainted and such; the real fun begins in the next chapter, when they explore the mall. However... something gets in the way ;)**

 **I'll see you all very soon, babes!**

 **~MrsBennettFrazier**


	3. Chapter 3

**Ethan Nakamura POV**

I stuck my middle finger up at him, a taunting grin on my face. He chased after me, and I could barely hear Michael yell at us to stop acting like children in the distance.

We ignored him, running through the parking lot and weaving in between cars like the professionals we are. It becomes less of a chase and more of a race when Nico pulled up beside me, our chests beginning to drag in our breaths.

It was foolish of me to challenge him to a race, however, since he was lighter and faster on his feet than I am (I _fully_ blame his upbringing), so while we're definitely ahead of the others, he reaches the entrance moments before I do.

Other patrons of the mall (probably not used to such disruptive behavior) cast us dirty looks as we stopped near the doors, waiting for the rest of the group to catch up, our breaths deep and labored.

Michael fixed us with a disapproving stare, but relented when Percy and (surprisingly) Leo put their hands on his shoulder as all three of them have a short and silent conversation.

"I suppose even we need a break from our duties," Michael said under his breath. He broke into a smile a few moments after, as we continue heading into the mall as a group.

"There's the spirit, my friend!" I cheered, clapping him on the shoulder. We all headed through the doors, only to be greeted by the magnificent sight of the mall.

Spacious, open and humming with energy; all the windows let in halos of light, leaving you feeling breathless. It was as if you were faced with a beautiful angel, whose sword of heavenly will was at your throat.

"Ho-oly shit... This is definitely another work perk," I heard Travis whisper.

"Men," Leo said reverently. "We... have found... PARADISE!" His last word drew more stares, this time out of curiosity instead of disdain.

We shared a joyous laugh, heading off in some random direction like a band of nomads. As we walk around, the smells of mesmerizing and delectable foods wafted around us.

Laughter and cheers could be heard from the many directions, whether it be the bar filled with sports fans, or posh cafés packed with chatting friends and casual romantic dates.

People flowed to and from various stores hawking their products with eye catching signs and enticing displays.

" _Oh, Dios mío_ , those empanadas are seducing me from afar..." Leo started to drool, almost subconsciously heading towards the food of his cultural roots.

The rest of us looked at each other. I shrugged, following our shorter teammate.

 _At least after this mission I can say I've had an empanada._

I heard the footsteps of the others trailing behind, and I had to admit... those empanadas smelled amazing. A bit spicy, mixed with the signature of smell of sweet caramelized onions and aromatic oregano. The succulent smell of beef collided with salt, pepper and cumin, drew me in.

 _Leo wasn't kidding when he said they were seducing him from afar... holy cow, they smell like love at first sight._

"I am so glad we came here," Connor said. "These empa-whatchamacallits are making my mouth water!"

"Empanadas, Connor. They're a Latin/Spanish food, similar to the American food brand Hot Pockets™, but much better when handmade and fresh out of the fryer," Nico practically recited. We all looked him, expecting an explanation of how he knew this.

"What?" He asked. "My mother's extended family was from Spain; I'm half-Italian. This is somewhat up my alley."

We burst into laughter (that entire mini speech was just so _Nico_ , it was hilarious), joined by Leo, who was stuffing as many of the fried bread pockets full of deliciousness as he could into his mouth.

"Aw, my vertically challenged partner in crime, why didn't you buy enough for all of us?!" Travis cried, pouting.

"For real, dawg, you've already finished off half the basket, ya bottomless pit!" Connor joked, elbowing the enthusiastic Latino, who playfully shoved him back as he ate another of those steaming two-bite sized semi circles of deliciousness.

Michael flicked their ears, causing them to yelp in pain, followed by an annoyed glare at the older man. Michael returned with a glare of his own, a silent warning to behave.

"We may be undercover as high school students," he said lowly, "but we're still rational, somewhat well behaved and highly trained combatants and protectors with a job to do." The twins rolled their eyes, mumbling about 'fun spoiling' and 'why is he always right?' before sighing and tossing themselves into the nearest chairs.

"Alright, you win," Travis admitted, looking between Michael and his brother.

"We'll behave for now," Connor added, crossing his arms and pouting.

Michael, noticing (like the rest of us) that the twins were just restless, he made amends and told them they could go exploring with either me, Percy, himself or Nico.

"Aw, ya mean it, Marky? Can we explore the whole mall?" Connor perked up like an animated doll, all smiles and energy as he bounced in his seat.

"Yes, if you're supervised by someone else."

"Aw, what? Why'd we gotta be supervised?!" Travis asked, pouting.

"Because you two have a habit of goofing off or causing trouble and the last thing we need is to get banned from a good resource due to damaged property or complaints. So, you two need someone to watch you and make sure you don't accidentally break something or burn this mall down."

Neither could point out a lie, so they admitted defeat and looked to me, silently asking me to come along with them. I sighed dramatically, dragging myself out of my seat and grabbing a handful of Leo's empanadas (despite his loud protests). I stood and stretched, before slowly following the two hyperactive sixteen-year-olds.

"Emmyyyyy," Connor shouted, "Hurry up! There's a ThinkGeek up ahead!"

I rolled my eyes as I jog to catch up with them. "Well, maybe you shouldn't run so far ahead? Then you wouldn't have to wait for me to catch up."

"Awww, but there's so much cool stuff here…" Connor whined.

"Yeah! And I see a FootLocker! I need some new shoes," Travis pouted at me like a little kid. "Can we pleaaaseeeee go to the FootLocker first?!"

"Yes, yes, whatever, just stop acting like you're six instead of sixteen, Travis, Connor," I sighed, following them as they rush over to the shoe store.

While they headed straight to the Adidas section, I looked at some of the hoodies they had displayed, especially their nice black Adidas and Nike zip ups.

 _I need more casual clothes anyway... And we do have access to the mission funds..._ I debated with myself a little more before deciding to go ahead and buy two Adidas hoodies, one zip up and one regular, both black.

Of course, Travis bought a pair of black and gold Nike Roshes because he's extra like that (cue eyerolls, everybody), and Connor dramatically dragged us out of the store as soon as we paid, talking about checking out the ThinkGeek for a lightsaber.

"What are you, 12?" I asked, laughing.

"Yeah, on a 1 to 10 scale, bitch," he smirked back. Travis high fived him, saying I walked into that one.

o0o

 **Leonardo Valdez POV**

Percy and I were walking back to _Casa de la Abuela_ (the food place I got the empanadas from) when he asked the question that would ruin his life forever.

"Hey, Leo, can I ask you something?"

"Shoot, Sparks." I shove my hands in my pockets as we near the end of the line of people waiting for the delicious Hispanic food.

"What's horchacha?" It was such an innocent question; he sounded so curious and oblivious to his slip up.

"Horchacha?" I dissolved into laughter, tears welling up in my eyes. "Ho- _Horchacha?!_ " I gasped, doubling over, my hand on his shoulder.

"I said it wrong, didn't I?" Percy grumbled, facepalming.

"It's _horchata_ , _amigo._ Not horchacha," I confirmed. I giggled again, already thinking of ways to never let him forget this moment.

"Oh, God." He groaned. "My mistake, Valdez. But seriously, what is it?"

We move up the line as I explained.

"It's a drink you can usually find in your local Hispanic household, or food place. _Mi_ _máma_ always made it with rice, water, cinnamon, vanilla and sugar plus her secret ingredient. It was the best part of the day when I came home and saw it in the fridge." I smiled fondly, remembering the taste of home.

Percy gave me an implacable look, which I pretended I didn't see. I was saved from awkward silence by the girl behind the counter, asking us what we'd like to order.

"May we get three baskets of beef empanadas and seven medium _horchatas_?" She smiled at me.

"Of course! I'll be right back with your food, if you could just wait by the cash register?" Percy and I made our way to the left as she goes into the back to prepare our food.

"This place is huge," Percy remarked. "Makes me wonder if it's possible to get lost and locked in overnight."

"That seems like something I'd do," I chuckled. Percy shook his head.

"Nah, you have the sense of direction of a GPS, Leo. You wouldn't be able to get so lost you'd be unable to find your way out. _Travis_ , however... He's as direction coordinated as a raging bull." That gets a rise of quiet out of us, as we imagine a lost Travis wandering in circles, trying in vain to find his way back into familiarity.

We're interrupted by another worker who walks out with our food, then walks back in, and comes out with our drinks, as me and Percy bring out our wallets.

"Seven medium _horchatas_ , and three baskets of beef empanadas?" She asked, looking between the two of us.

I smiled and nod, "Yeah, that's our order."

"Do you have a membership or rewards card with us, gentleman?" She asked as she input our orders. She looked up as we looked at each other, then at her and shook our heads. "No? Then your total will be $42.56."

I handed her two tens and a one, then Percy handed her a twenty and two dollar bills.

"Keep the change," Percy smiled, as we grabbed our food and headed to the two tables the others were situated around.

"Ah, they got the empanadas!" Michael exclaimed, grinning, followed by Nico's mumbled, "Thank God, I was starting to think you guys were going to be gone forever."

Percy laughed, shaking his head. "You're so dramatic, Nico, we were only gone for fifteen minutes."

"Yeah, well, I didn't have much for breakfast and I worked up an appetite racing Ethan," he reminded us, reaching for the basket nearest to him.

"Ah, shut up and eat," I cut in, grabbing a handful and popping them into my mouth in quick succession.

"These are delicious," Michael said as speared an empanada with a fork, looking like the sophisticated aristocrat he was raised to be.

 _His parents would shit kittens if they found out that he's not 'living up to his full potential' as a feared CEO for one of their three major corporations,_ I thought, stealing another glance at the burly lightskin.

We ate, drank and talked until the first two baskets were emptied and we were full, which, by then, Ethan, Travis and Connor had returned from their exploration. Upon seeing the third untouched basket of still-warm empanadas and the three remaining _horchatas_ , they were on them like a gang of sharks on a school of fish.

Five minutes later, the third basket was empty and all the drinks were finished.

I, being the one who brought the food, refused to be the one to toss the trash, and made it very clear to the rest of the table's occupants.

"It's fine, Leo, I'll throw the trash." Michael scooped up all three baskets, their liners, and the cups and walked to the trash before anyone could say a word. He returned to his seat, and the conversation resumed, this time a bit louder in volume thanks to the twins.

My phone buzzed, and when I pulled in out of my pocket, I saw a notification from the security system I'd put in place.

"Hey, guys!" They looked at me, and I showed them the notification. "Someone's at the door."

"Who is it?" Nico asked, brows furrowed in concern, mirroring everyone else's expressions.

A beat of silence follows as I pulled up the camera feed from the front door. I breathed a sigh of relief when I see who it is.

"Oh, it's just the girls."

 **Connor Sacrellio POV**

We all relaxed, and I slumped in my seat, only to sit back up.

"I just had a thought," I announced.

"Oh no, everyone run!" Leo snickered, trying to cover it up with a cough. I glared at him, before continuing.

"Shut up, shortass," I quickly retorted, before clearing my throat and finishing what I'd started to say before I was interrupted. "If the girls are at the door, doesn't that mean they're left unprotected and therefore an easy target?"

Percy's eyes widened seconds before the rest, the muttered curse words flowing from Nico's mouth the only sound to be heard in the deathly quiet group. As if we were of a hive mind, we all stood up and practically sprinted from the food court to the nearest exit.

Thankfully, our cars weren't out of sight, and it only took a few seconds of sprinting to reach our cars and have their engines revved and peeling out of the parking lot in linear formation. We made the drive-in record time, and thankfully, the girls hadn't left our doorstep yet. A few of them seemed startled by our sudden arrival, eyes widened in shock and awe.

As always, Percy was the first to get out, followed by Michael, Ethan, Nico, Leo, my brother and finally, me. Leo had insisted that we looked badass (as if we don't always look badass), much to the Nico's humorous exasperation.

 _It's a damn shame he doesn't hold the same penchant for flair that we do,_ I think with dismay, as I locked my car, Hornet.

I caught the eye of Reyna, the pretty younger sister of Hylla, Michael' assignment and my brother's assignment. She's practically drooling at the lineup of gorgeous bodied cars. I smirked, expecting the reaction; after all, we had good taste in cars (and other things…).

"God, they're so much prettier in person…" She whispered reverently, her hands on her cheeks as she continued staring.

Nico chuckled, ignoring the looks the girls were giving him. "Maybe you can go for a drive with one of us, at some point. If you think they're impressive now, just wait till you see them in action."

She flushed, and her sister subtly moved in front of her protectively. I raised an eyebrow, but didn't comment. Nico noticed her movement as well, but like me, he chose not to bring attention to it.

Reyna didn't appear to notice and bounced on her heels excitedly. "Are you fucking serious?!" she squealed, eyes wide and sparkling. Hylla reprimanded her on her 'coarse language', not that Reyna seemed to care. Nico looked at Percy, who nodded languidly, smiling widely.

"If she wants to ride, and you're willing to let her ride, then I see no issue."

"Would you all like to come in? It's a bit weird to just stand outside the door when we could all be sitting and enjoying food and drink." Percy, ever the voice of reason, suggested as he made his way to the door. We all murmured agreements, and followed him through the now unlocked door.

As we all took a seat, Leo got a call.

"Please, excuse me. I'll be back as soon as I can." He gave an apologetic bow, and walked upstairs. I could tell the others were curious as to who could be calling; Nico seemed to be ruling out possible callers.

I almost rolled my eyes; Nico was the one to worry a lot during missions. Maybe it was paranoia, maybe he was just overly worried due to losing a lot of his extended family to various dangerous professions.

His brooding was interrupted when Bianca asked him what was wrong.

"Hm? Oh, nothing in particular." It was a transparent lie, but she merely nodded and frowned slightly. He offered her a small smile, to appease her worries.

"Might I ask why you ladies were at our door?" He asked, drawing their attention.

"I was wondering the same thing," I cut in. My brother added on.

"Did you need assistance?"

"Boys," Percy admonished. "They'll never be able to tell you if you keep asking them questions."

Drew and Reyna giggled.

"It's fine," Reyna dismissed gently.

"It's cute." Drew winked in my direction, though it was difficult to tell who she was winking to, me or my brother.

"In answer to your question, we wanted to apologize for leaving so suddenly last time we were here." I looked in the direction of the new voice- Calypso, Nico's charge.

"Apologize?" Percy's eyebrows furrowed. "Why would you need to apologize?"

They all looked genuinely confused by the question.

"Well… We left with no explanation. We didn't want you to be left with the assumption that it was to leave your presence as quickly as possible for any reason..." Zoë trailed off, her eyebrows furrowed as well.

"Ladies, we appreciate the sentiment," Leo said as he came down the stairs. "But we understand. You girls had to leave, and you were most likely late to something important, and explaining would make you even later than if you hadn't. It was a matter of blind panic and efficiency. Our egos didn't suffer much," he chuckled.

All thirteen of us stared at him, the girls taken aback, and us guys surprised at how mature he sounded in that moment. Then it hit me, he got back from that phone call.

 _Could it have something to do with whoever called?_

I made a mental note to ask him about it later. Leo sat down between Percy and Michael, putting his feet up on the coffee table.

"So, what'd I miss?" He asked, lightly.

"Not much," Zoë assured him. She shifted in her seat, before speaking, "We came here to apologize and explain ourselves, is all. Now that that's done, we should probably get out of your hair…" At those words, they stood and began to leave.

"Before we go," Drew started, pausing in putting on her shoe, "can I use your bathroom?"

"Aw, please don't leave! The party just started," I started, while Ethan pointed her to the bathroom.

"And you know what they say, the more the merrier," Travis finished.

Annabeth shook her head. "We couldn't possibly-"

"Nonsense," Michael cut her off with an apologetic smile. "Please forgive me for cutting you off, Miss Chase, but it really is no bother to us if you stay a while."

She blushed at the title, but didn't protest. The others, skeptical though they may have been, couldn't find a viable excuse to decline their implied invitation, so they decided to sit back down and stay awhile.

"Well, if you boys insist..." Hylla said, frowning lightly. "Though I see no reason as to why you should..." she mumbled under her breath.

Travis, having very acute hearing, smiled in her direction as he answered her implied question, "Because, you girls first came to us with kind intentions; we're merely extending the favor back to you."

Michael lightly put a hand on her shoulder, silencing her protests with a gentle smile. "Don't worry about intruding; you've already done that." His smirk told her it was just playful banter, even as she shoved his hand away, laughing.

"Oh, shut up, we did no such thing!"

He rolled his eyes, "Oh, my mistake, your highness, how dare I accuse ladies of such high standing of being intrusive and rude?"

"Especially since you peasants were the one to invite us inside!" Annabeth joined in, grinning.

"Be glad we blessed your little hovel with our divine presence." She sniffed haughtily, looking every bit the snobby upperclassman she was imitating.

"Yes, yes, whatever you say, Lady Chase," Nico drawls, smiling lazily. "We'll be sure to remember your wise words next time."

"So, there's a next time?" Drew cut in, from the hallway. She sat back down next to Percy, who was playing a game on his phone, paying no mind to the antics of the younger teenagers.

Michael shrugged, looking at the others (meaning he looked at Nico and Leo, who was just observing). "Do you girls want there to be a next time?"

The girls looked at each other, before Zoë smiled. "That would be lovely!"

Leo lightly slapped Percy's shoulder, trying to get his attention. "Ooh, ooh can it be like a sleep over?!"

Percy nodded, chuckling and muttering about "kids" and "what the hell".

Suddenly the conversation dies, everybody looking at the other as if willing someone to say something.

"I'll go get some drinks," I said, trying to fill the short awkward silence. As I stood up, Calypso gracefully stood as well, saying she wanted to help.

"There's no need," I chuckled, even as I let her into the kitchen first. What can I say? Mama raised a gentleman.

"I'm not one to let someone play host and do everything for me... I prefer to help; that way, I don't feel guilty." I looked at her strangely.

"Why must you feel guilty?" I paused, debating if I should ask what I wanted to or not. "And are you always this open with guys you barely know?"

I smiled to show that I was half kidding, hoping she didn't get offended. I didn't expect her to giggle, or flick my arm, but with a smile that contagious, I couldn't help but smile and flick her back.

"Ow!" She tried to pout, but the corners of her lips kept curling upwards, making her look ridiculous.

"You look ridiculous, child," I said, 'attempting' a Southern accent, only making her laugh more. "And you didn't answer my question."

"Well," she started as I got out 14 cups. "My mother taught me to always help the host or hostess when I can, because it's rude not to. She drilled it into my head, and now it's just instinct to do so."

"How interesting. Can you go in the fridge and bring out the water and iced sweet tea?" As she turned to the fridge, I continued with what I wanted to ask.

"So I'm guessing that if you were to come here often, you'd still help out like this?" She handed me a jug of water as she replied.

"Well, yes, unless I'm preoccupied by other things?" She began to pour a glass of iced sweet tea for herself in one of the cups laid out. "But I will give you props for that smooth lowkey invite. Are you always this smooth with girls you barely know?"

"Why yes, ma'am." I tipped an imaginary cowboy hat towards her. ""Specially when they're as pretty as you."

She blushed, mumbling, "That's not fair, Connor."

I leaned closer, enjoying her flustered behavior. "What's not fair?"

"You can't trick me by putting on a terrible Southern accent and then hit me with a flawless one right after..." she leaned back. "It's not fair!"

I smirked.

Sure, I shouldn't be doing this because it's supposed to be a cut and dry, run of the mill operation, but I like to have fun during these things. I might get chewed out for this if Percy or Michael (or even Ethan) catch me, but I think it'll be worth it.

"I think it's fun," I winked playfully. "Lighten up a little, Callie."

Just to throw her off, I suddenly turn back to the drinks, quickly pouring out the remaining drinks as if we weren't just flirting. I hear a small choked noise behind me and smile to myself.

"C-Callie?!" She squeaked.

"Hm?" I looked over my shoulder at her. "I can find you another nickname of you don't like that one."

"Not- Not- No!" She takes a breath, before continuing. "I mean, it's not necessary. Callie is a cool nickname."

I laughed, only to hear Leo yell my name.

"Yo, Nakamura! Stop trying to get into the poor girl's pants and hurry up with the drinks man!" I rolled my eyes; of course he'll cockblock me right when I get her all stuttery.

Fuckin' figures.

"We should get those drinks out before the big boss comes in personally to make sure I'm not defiling you," I sighed.

"Is that what you were trying to do?" She glared, looking hurt.

"Definitely not," I chuckled. "I was just trying to get you flustered. I'd never touch a girl like that without permission; I fear my mom will walk through the door and beat me into my grave if I tried."

That got her smiling again as she grabbed the tray of water.

We walk back carefully, Calypso pointedly ignoring the looks she got from her friends. When the two oldest, Hylla and Zoë, turned to glare at me, I simply raised an eyebrow.

Zoë looked even more concerned, so when I put the tray down I looked at her and said, "Don't worry, I'm not that disgusting. I know my boundaries."

She nodded warily, but stopped glaring as she grabs herself a drink.

"Thank you..." I just smile as I sit down next to Michael, a drink in my own hand.

"So," Hylla said primly. "Are you boys transferring into Keats?"

"Yeah," my brother grumbled.

"It sucks," I sighed.

"I hear it's a good school with an equal focus on mental and emotional health as well as academia," Michael comments.

"Well you're not wrong." Drew blows a strand of hair out of her face, looking unenthusiastic about it.

Percy chuckles, "Do you not like that?" He looks at her over the rim of his iced tea, looking curious.

"Well, I mean... I'm a very private person, so them constantly asking about my mental state is a bit weird and the thought makes me uncomfortable because I don't really want to spill my life story to them every day."

"I can't blame you," Nico snorted, swirling his iced tea in his cup.

"Yeah, di Angelo will take your head off if you try and invade his privacy when he doesn't want you to." Leo grunted, speaking from experience. Reyna cocked her head at him.

"Has he taken your head off for invading his privacy?" She asked.

He nodded, "Oh, yeah. But it was _so_ worth the yelling and lectures from Michael and Percy."

Percy intervenes just as Nico opened his mouth to bite back. "Leo is definitely a trouble child, even if he's almost an adult." Percy glared at Leo as he said this.

"Hey!" Leo protested, drawing laughter from the rest of the group. "Just because I'm almost legal doesn't mean I can't have a little fun."

The short Latino crossed his arms and pouted, mumbling about "rude friends" and "why do I still hang out with you guys?" while sipping his water.

"So if you guys are transferring in," Zoë cut in, "then did you guys take the entrance exam?"

We all look at our leader to answer.

"Yeah, we took it in the beginning of the summer, thanks to our parents." He lies with an easy smile on his face, posture relaxed.

"Your parents?" Bianca asked. I was surprised that it was she who spoke; she hadn't spoken since Leo left for his call. Her voice was very pleasant and soothing, like a lullaby.

"Well our parents are all partners and friends, so we were brought up and groomed together," I explained. "Michael's mom said it was beneficial to just have us all live together and share expenses rather than live separately and have our expenses multiply."

"Plus, we already live like brothers, might as well share a house and act like it." Travis grabbed a cup of sweet tea.

"That sounds a lot like our situation." Annabeth looked thoughtful as she rested her elbow on her thigh. "Our parents are all related in one way or another, so they raised us very closely, like you guys were. We all moved into the same house two years ago because our parents wanted u us to."

"And it took a few of us a while to get accustomed to one another, despite knowing each other for years," Bianca added on, glancing not so subtly at Zoë and Drew in amusement. The former scoffed, but flushed a bit in embarrassment.

"I want to hear that story at some point," I laughed. "If it's anything like Leo and Nico, then I'm sure it'll be quite the funny encounter."

"Shut up, Connor." Nico threw a pillow at me, which I didn't even bother blocking; it would've hit me anyway.

"That wasn't funny! He was going to kill me!"

The girl's seemed to find it funny, seeing as they fell apart laughing at their reactions. As time passed, we continued talking and drinking, just enjoying ourselves. Of course, I enjoyed the playful flirting match Drew initiated between us, first subtly, then not so subtly, then outright cheesy pick up lines that just made each other laugh.

At some point alcohol (nothing too strong, just some Mike's Hard Lemonade, I think) was broken out and even the youngest girls were allowed to have a few sips (although I'm pretty sure it wasn't their first time drinking).

It turned out to be an interesting night.


End file.
